Moroccan Tagine with Root Vegetables

From corriander to fennel and celeriac root, there are many good things happening in this dish!

The list of ingredients might look a little long at first, but every one of them helps make this dish worth the extra effort. (Photos: Jaymi Heimbuch)

The spice and heat of this dish are absolutely wonderful. But if you don't like spicy food, you can make a few adjustments, including using less serrano pepper, or using half a jalepeño pepper instead. You can also use a dollop of yogurt to cut the heat.

In a heavy saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Stir in the cinnamon, cloves, coriander seeds and tumeric. Add in the onion and saute for 2-3 minutes or until they begin to soften. Add the ginger, serrano pepper and garlic and stir to combine. Turn the heat down and simmer for 10 minutes.

Add in the tomatoes, sweet potato, fennel bulbs, and celeriac root. Cover the pan and simmer on low heat until the vegetables are tender, about 40 minutes.

Fold in the spinach, cilantro and almonds into the vegetable tagine, and continue to stir until the spinach is wilted. Season with salt and pepper if needed.